"Are you certain about this boy, Hideyori's incapacity, Kitagira?" inquired he--soon after Jokoin had left--doubtfully. "You have persistently told me that he were no match for Hidetada; I should like to know, of my own knowledge; cannot you arrange a meeting?" "One thing at a time, my lord; if he marry your granddaughter, what better proof need anyone?" "Just so. Therefore see you that the marriage take place." Kitagira made no answer, but drawing his own conclusions, from that last answer, as to the shogun's own capableness, trudged off toward Ozaka, with the intentionally betrothed in his arms, fully decided upon escaping to his own miserably allotted fief, should he fail of the mission imposed. At Ozaka a storm of protest went up from all but Yodogima. She had threatened something worse. Esyo arriving first, Jokoin after, and the trundled granddaughter lastly, everybody had had ample occasion to hit upon something--save alone Ieyasu; who by remaining at home surveyed better the feelings engendered with the ruse. "Take the brat away," shouted Kyogoku, still vigilant at the gate. "No," commanded Yodogima; "let the mother decide; she is present, and of right should elect a daughter's husband." "I can save you trouble," suggested Hideyori; reluctantly, however, for the baby looked pretty; "I am already engaged--" "To Jokoin," interposed Harunaga; "I have the mikado's permission." A storm of applause followed upon the one side, occasioning as violent denunciation from the other. No one except the shogun had for a long time so much as thought of profaning the precincts of celestial Kyoto, let alone essaying to voice a message thus sacredly emanating. "Who is this Harunaga?" demanded Fukushima, most cruel and savage, an old captain of the guard and relative to Oyea, but not averse to Christian tolerance. "What right has he to put words into the mouth of a taiko's son?" Kuroda, still older, and more devoted to the sympathies of Yodogima, grumbled accordance. Esyo held her tongue; she wanted her daughter--strange to believe, except as she knew--married to Kyogoku, and deemed it best not to interfere. "Oh, I guess, you are not so much, Mr. Fukushima; we have Sanada, Goto, and a few more equally as reliable; if you want to rebel, I think we shall be able to make out; what say you, Esyo?" put in Jokoin, boastfully. "I give my daughter to Kyogoku." "What? He is married," threatened Kitagira, nervously. "He can divorce me," replied Jokoin, concernedly. "Without authority?" inquired Kyogoku, gasping at some vain law instead of a better wit. "I have it, and shall use it," declared Hideyori. "You have not been appointed, are not an official," reasoned Fukushima. "Yes, he has; he is nai-dai-jin; Ieyasu just now told me so, and I am sure an Interior Great Minister can do anything he likes," threatened Jokoin, more confident than discreet.